is a collection of video games and related media produced by
Square, now
Square Enix
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
.
The series was created by
Toshiro Tsuchida
(born 1964) is a Japanese game director and game producer who currently works for Japanese Social Game company GREE. He formerly worked for Square Enix, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (formerly Square (video game company), Square Co., Ltd.). He is most not ...
and developed by
G-Craft
is a Japanese multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game franchises, among numerous ...
, a studio that was later absorbed by Square and existed within Square Enix as Product Development Division-6. Since the release of the original ''Front Mission'' in 1995, the series has gone on to encompass several media, including film,
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
, novels,
radio dramas
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...
,
mobile phone applications, and toys. While the series is primarily rooted in the
turn-based tactical role-playing genre, it has also ventured into other genres such as
side-scrolling shooter
Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs
) are a sub-genre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of chara ...
,
real-time strategy (RTS),
massive multiplayer online (MMO), and
third-person shooter
Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
through its spin-offs. The ''Front Mission'' video games have achieved moderate success, selling over 3 million units worldwide since the release of ''
Front Mission 5: Scars of the War''.
The main selling point of ''Front Mission'' is its storytelling approach. Taking place during the 21st and 22nd centuries, the series revolves around military conflicts and political tension between powerful
supranational union
A supranational union is a type of international organization that is empowered to directly exercise some of the powers and functions otherwise reserved to states. A supranational organization involves a greater transfer of or limitation of ...
s and their member states.
Although the ''Front Mission'' video games use self-contained, standalone stories, these tie into a greater overarching storyline that encompasses the entire series. In combination with the stories from its other media, the series possesses a level of storytelling depth and continuity comparable to a
serial drama. Another major draw of ''Front Mission'' is its use of giant
mecha called "wanzers" (from the German word ''Wanderpanzer'', or walking
tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
s) in battle.
Development
Development of the first ''Front Mission'' started with discussions between software developers Square and G-Craft.
Square had never had another developer make a game for them and planning proceeded slowly, but an agreement between the two was finished in the Fall of 1993.
[ Game producer and writer ]Toshiro Tsuchida
(born 1964) is a Japanese game director and game producer who currently works for Japanese Social Game company GREE. He formerly worked for Square Enix, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (formerly Square (video game company), Square Co., Ltd.). He is most not ...
presented a proposal for a game called “100 Mission” to Square through his own development company, Solid, on G-Crafts behalf.[ When Square producer Shinji Hashimoto first saw the first version of the game proposal, he thought it was “too radical” and usually such proposals would not be approved.][ Square was not enthusiastic, repeatedly telling Tsuchida “no robots”, and being told by Square that game development couldn't just be driven by a creators passion anymore.][ Tsuchida also had difficulty explaining how much of a role robots would have in the proposed game, and so he obtained some development hardware to create a prototype of the title.][ Square was the only publisher at the time willing to consider Tsuchidas’ proposal.][ They finally agreed to make the game because they thought working in a new genre would be stimulating and it was a title they probably could not do themselves as to that point Square had mostly made fantasy games.][
There are two types of ''Front Mission'' installments: the numbered entries and the non-numbered entries. The numbered ''Front Mission'' titles are all structured as ]tactical role-playing game
Tactical role-playing games (abbreviated TRPGs), also known as strategy role-playing games and in Japan as (both abbreviated SRPGs), are a video game genre that combines core elements of role-playing video games with those of tactical (turn-bas ...
s. All other ''Front Mission'' titles that do not have a number assigned to it are genre spin-offs. Each of the five spin-off entries are classified under different genres. ''Front Mission: Gun Hazard'' is a side-scrolling shooter
Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs
) are a sub-genre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of chara ...
video game. ''Front Mission Alternative'' is a real-time strategy video game. ''Front Mission: Online'' is a massively multiplayer online third-person shooter
Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
video game. ''Front Mission Evolved'' is a third-person shooter
Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. While 2D shoot 'em ...
video game with rail shooter segments. In an RPGamer interview with Front Mission developer Koichi Sakamoto in 2007, he suggested that the development team is interested in combining real-time and turn-based aspects for future installments.
Games
Since 1995, the ''Front Mission'' series has released 15 video games, seven of which are main (numbered) entries and the other five are spin-off entries. Additionally, the series has spawned a number of video game ports, remakes, and compilations over its 15-year history. On July 12, 2002, a direct port of ''Front Mission
is a collection of video games and related media produced by Square (video game company), Square, now Square Enix. The series was created by Toshiro Tsuchida and developed by G-Craft, a studio that was later absorbed by Square and existed withi ...
'' was released for the Bandai WonderSwan Color
The (ワンダースワン) is a handheld game console released in Japan by Bandai. It was developed by Gunpei Yokoi's company Koto Laboratory and Bandai, and was the last piece of hardware Yokoi developed before his death in 1997. Released i ...
. A year later, the video game entry received a Sony PlayStation
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
remake under the title ''Front Mission First'' on October 23, 2003. Shortly after its release, a compilation titled ''Front Mission History'' was released in Japan on December 11, 2003. The compilation contained the ''Front Mission First'' remake, a modified ''Front Mission 2
''Front Mission 2'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation developed by G-Craft and published by Square, and was released in Japan on September 25, 1997. ''Front Mission 2'' is the second main entry and t ...
'', and ''Front Mission 3
''Front Mission 3'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation developed by and published by Square Co., Ltd., released in Japan in 1999, and North America and Europe in 2000. ''Front Mission 3'' is the third ma ...
''. ''Front Mission First'' also spawned an enhanced port of the game on March 22, 2007 for the Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
. A second remake for '' Front Mission 2089'' was developed and titled as '' Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness''. This remake was released for the ''Nintendo DS'' in Japan on May 29, 2008. A third remake for Front Mission is planned to be released in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
.
While all ''Front Mission'' video games have seen releases in Japan, only a few been localized overseas. ''Front Mission 3
''Front Mission 3'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation developed by and published by Square Co., Ltd., released in Japan in 1999, and North America and Europe in 2000. ''Front Mission 3'' is the third ma ...
'' was the first entry to receive both a North American and European localization on March 22, 2000 and August 11, 2000 respectively. ''Front Mission 4
''Front Mission 4'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix Co., Ltd. as the fourth main entry and sixth entry overall in the ''Front Mission'' series. Like other ''Front Mission'' titles, ' ...
'' became the second entry to undergo an English localization and was released in North America on June 15, 2004. A three-year gap followed before the localization of the Nintendo DS port of ''Front Mission First'', which saw a release in North America on October 23, 2007. This marked the third time that a ''Front Mission'' title was localized for the North American region. ''Front Mission Evolved
is a third-person shooter video game developed by Double Helix Games and published by Square Enix. Unlike previous ''Front Mission'' titles which have a tactical role-playing game structure, players engage in combat in real time on 3D maps using ...
'' became the first spin-off entry to be localized in North America and Europe, making it the fourth and second titles respectively to reach those regions. It was released in Japan on September 16, 2010, in North America on September 28, 2010, and in Europe on October 8, 2010.
To date, only five ''Front Mission'' entries have ever been officially localized and released outside Japan.
Common elements
Gameplay
Although ''Front Mission'' video games venture into multiple genres, each of them contain core elements that are universal to the entire series. In the ''Front Mission'' series, players use playable units called wanzers, a term for mecha derived from the German word "''Wanderpanzer''", or "walking tank". Wanzers differ from the typical combat unit in that it has four modular
Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a sy ...
parts: body, left arm, right arm, and legs. Each part has a specific function and its own health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...
bar. The legs parts enable movement and evasion, the arm parts are necessary to use hand and shoulder weapons, and the body part maintains the wanzer's operability. In the event the body is destroyed, the wanzer is removed from play completely. Destruction of arm and leg parts does not remove the wanzer from play, but it severely cripples its performance. While the player fights mostly wanzers, vehicles, aircraft, and mobile weapons platforms are also featured. These enemy units generally have only one part, the body, and are much stronger than wanzers themselves.
Wanzers can be customized with a variety of parts, computers, auxiliary backpacks, and weapons. The player has full control over customizing their wanzers and can do so as long as its total weight value does not exceed its given power output. To field a wanzer in battle, it must have a complete frame of parts: body, left arm, right arm, and legs. Parts with built-in weapons in the body or arm sections can also be equipped on a wanzer. In most ''Front Mission'' titles, computers must also be installed; these improve the accuracy of the weapons equipped on the wanzer. Auxiliary backpacks and weapons are not mandatory equipment to use wanzers, but are crucial in order to progress through the games. Auxiliary backpacks serve to give a wanzer special features during combat. For example, storage backpacks allow the player to carry extra ammunition or armor repair items.
In terms of weapons, there are four classes of weapons: melee weapons, short-range weapons, long-range weapons, and support fire weapons. Melee weapons are hand-to-hand weapons with a tendency to strike the body part of its target. Knuckles, pile bunkers, and rods are examples of melee weapons. Short-range weapons, such as machine guns, shotguns, and flamethrowers are used at close range and deal damage to all parts of a target. Long-range weapons have a long reach and are ideal for avoiding counterattacks. Sniper rifles, bazookas, and Gatling guns are examples of long-range weapons. Support-fire weapons, such as missiles, grenades, and rockets are indirect fire weapons; they can never be counterattacked and almost always hit their target, but have limited ammunition supply. Lastly, shields can be equipped on wanzers to absorb some of the damage taken from incoming attacks.
These are other gameplay features that are commonly seen in multiple ''Front Mission'' titles.
* Arena, introduced in ''Front Mission'', allows the player to participate in special fights to earn monetary rewards or new parts. These fights take place in either individual matches, or team battles. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 2'', ''Front Mission 5: Scars of the War'', ''Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness'', and ''Front Mission: Online''.
* Action Points (AP), introduced in ''Front Mission 2'', determines the number of actions that can be taken during a Player and Enemy Phase. Every action, such as movement or counterattacks, has a certain AP cost. After one full turn (which is made up of one Player Phase and Enemy Phase) has passed, a set amount of AP is recharged. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 3'', ''Front Mission 4'', and ''Front Mission 5: Scars of the War''.
* Links, introduced in ''Front Mission 2'', allows multiple units to assist each other in battles. A linked unit can provide support to other units offensively and defensively. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 4'', ''Front Mission 5: Scars of the War'', and ''Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness''.
* Network, introduced in ''Front Mission 2'', is a pseudo-Internet that allows players to gain a better understanding of the ''Front Mission'' world, its characters, and the storyline through a series of websites. The player can also access online shopping (to purchase new equipment), battle simulations, and check e-mail messages through the Network. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 3''.
* Battle Simulator, introduced in ''Front Mission 3'', allows the player to participate in VR training exercises. These training exercises can be used to increase the fighting proficiencies of the player's pilots and can be taken as many times as needed. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 4'', and ''Front Mission 5: Scars of the War''.
* Survival Simulator, introduced in ''Front Mission 5: Scars of the War'', is a survival simulation in which the player goes through a set number of floors with one pilot. Along the way, parts and weapons can be collected and brought back for usage in the main game upon the completion of a simulation. This feature is also present in ''Front Mission 2089-II''.
Setting
These are the fictional nations that play a major role in the ''Front Mission'' series.
Oceania Cooperative Union
The Oceania Cooperative Union (OCU) is a supranational union of countries in Southeast Asia, Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...
, and Australia. The OCU capital, where the OCU Central Parliament located, is Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
, Australia. The union's roots date back to 2006, when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
reorganized itself into the Bangkok Economic Alliance. The alliance is later renamed into the Oceania Cooperative Union in 2019 after Australia and Oceania decided to join the bloc. It is finally consolidated as a political union in 2026.
In the localized version of ''Front Mission 3
''Front Mission 3'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation developed by and published by Square Co., Ltd., released in Japan in 1999, and North America and Europe in 2000. ''Front Mission 3'' is the third ma ...
'', the OCU's full name is presented as "Oceana Community Union". The localized versions of subsequent games use the current naming convention instead.
United States of the New Continent
The United States of the New Continent (USN) is a supranational union of the North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and South American countries. The USN capital, where the USN Central Government operates, is Washington DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
. The union's roots date back to 2011, when its relations with Australia began to sour following a diplomatic incident over the detention of an Australian ship named ''The Trinidad''. The United States and Canada begin negotiations on merging with South American countries after the Republic of Zaftra is formed in 2015. These talks culminate in the creation of the USN five years later.
In the localized versions of '' Front Mission First'', ''Front Mission 4
''Front Mission 4'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix Co., Ltd. as the fourth main entry and sixth entry overall in the ''Front Mission'' series. Like other ''Front Mission'' titles, ' ...
'', and ''Front Mission Evolved
is a third-person shooter video game developed by Double Helix Games and published by Square Enix. Unlike previous ''Front Mission'' titles which have a tactical role-playing game structure, players engage in combat in real time on 3D maps using ...
'', the USN is presented as the Unified Continental States (UCS). The localized version of ''Front Mission 3'' retains the original naming convention.
European Community
The European Community (EC) is a supranational union of the nations in Europe. The capital, where the EC Central Assembly operates, is Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France. The union's roots date back to the European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
's (EU) genesis in 1993. In the late 1990s, the EU's founding member-states began to convince other European countries to join their banner. The EU is renamed as the European Community in 2005 as the last of the non-EU countries agree to join the bloc.
Organization of African Consolidation
The Organization of African Consolidation (OAC) is an alliance of African countries. The union's roots date back to 2026, when the EC and the OCU assisted the African nations to merge as a super-state. Unlike the other unions, the OAC is divided into five semi-autonomous regional blocs: the South African United States (SAUS), Union of North African States (UNAS), West African States Community Union (WA), the Community of Central African States (CA), and the East African Community (EA).
Republic of Zaftra
The Republic of Zaftra is a supranational union consisting of Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and the Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
. The Zaftran capital, where the Zaftra Central Administration operates, is Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, Russia. The union's roots date back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
in 1991. The former Soviet republics struggled to survive on their own after it collapsed, facing economic hardships and civil conflicts. In an attempt to remedy their issues and make capitalism work, the post-Soviet nations reformed as the Republic of Zaftra in 2015.
Republic of Ravnui
The Republic of Ravnui is Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
renamed after it seceded from the Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
rather than join the Republic of Zaftra in 2015. The nation's capital is Minsk
Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...
.
People's Republic of Da Han Zhong
The People's Republic of Da Han Zhong (DHZ) is formed from the presumably peaceful reunification
A political union is a type of political entity which is composed of, or created from, smaller polities, or the process which achieves this. These smaller polities are usually called federated states and federal territories in a federal governmen ...
of China and Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The nation's capital is Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
.
Music
The music of the series includes the soundtracks to the main series, composed of ''Front Mission'' through F''ront Mission 5: Scars of the War'', as well as the spin-off games, which include ''Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard'', ''Front Mission Alternative'', ''Front Mission: Online'', ''Front Mission 2089'' and its remake ''Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness'', ''Front Mission 2089-II'', and ''Front Mission Evolved''. The soundtracks of the series' installments have been released in album form in Japan, with the exceptions of ''2089'', ''2089-II'', ''Border of Madness'' (which reuse music from the other installments) and ''Evolved'', which was published in 2010. The soundtrack to ''Front Mission'' was released in 1995 by NTT Publishing, which also published the soundtrack to ''Front Mission: Gun Hazard'' in 1996. DigiCube published soundtrack albums for ''Front Mission 2'' and ''Alternative'' in 1997 and ''3'' in 1999. Square Enix published the albums for ''Front Mission 4'' in 2004, and ''5'' and ''Online'' in 2006.
The soundtracks of the series have been warmly reviewed by critics, especially those of the main series and ''Gun Hazard''. The music of ''Alternative'' and ''Online'' was less well-received. The music of the series typically includes a fusion of electronic and orchestral music, though each game and composer in the series has taken the music in different directions. The composers for the series have included Yoko Shimomura, Noriko Matsueda
is a Japanese former video game composer. She is best known for her work on the '' Front Mission'' series, '' The Bouncer'', and ''Final Fantasy X-2''. Matsueda collaborated with fellow composer Takahito Eguchi on several games. Composing music ...
, Koji Hayama, Hayato Matsuo, Hidenori Iwasaki
Hidenori (written: 秀典, 秀憲, 秀則, 秀徳, 英則, 英徳 or 英智) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese sound effects editor
*, Japanese manga artist
*, Japanese ice hockey player
*, Japan ...
, and Garry Schyman. A box set of music from across the series is currently planned, but has not yet been formally announced or given a release date.
Reception
In April 1995, Front Mission's original release on the Super Famicom was well received. ''Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' magazine gave the Super Famicom version of the game first a 9 out of 10 and later an 8 out of 10 in their Reader Cross Review. ''Mega Fun'' gave the game a Gold for an import game. '' Front Mission: Gun Hazard'' was rated by ''Fun Generation'' a 7 out of 10, while ''Super GamePower'' gave it a 4.2 out of 5. ''Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
'' magazine awarded ''Front Mission 2
''Front Mission 2'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation developed by G-Craft and published by Square, and was released in Japan on September 25, 1997. ''Front Mission 2'' is the second main entry and t ...
'' the game 32 out of 40 upon its release. The magazine chose the game as the number 63rd best game on the original PlayStation. Greg Kasavin
Gregory A. Kasavin (; born August 21, 1977) is an American writer and designer for Supergiant Games, and the former site director and executive editor at the gaming website ''GameSpot'' for over 10 years.
Early life and education
Kasavin atten ...
of ''GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' praised the graphics of '' Front Mission Alternative'' and audio experience, but criticized the game for being too short and rewarding players with more elaborate story sections if they failed to achieve game missions, indirectly rewarding failure. He also called the soundtrack "a bunch of dizzying techno that doesn't suit the onscreen grandeur". ''Hardcore Gaming 101'' noted it was not a very deep real time strategy game, but praised its branching stories and variety of endings. ''GameSpot'' noted that ''Front Mission 3
''Front Mission 3'', also known in Japan as is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation developed by and published by Square Co., Ltd., released in Japan in 1999, and North America and Europe in 2000. ''Front Mission 3'' is the third ma ...
'' may be a title worth introducing the franchise to American audiences, but criticized its graphics for being a notch lower than ''Front Mission 2''. ''IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' lauded the game's battle mechanics as rare in other Square installments since ''Final Fantasy Tactics'', but cited the graphics transitions between overhead play and individual battles as spotty.
''Front Mission 4'' holds a 75% on both GameRankings
GameRankings was a video gaming review aggregator that was founded in 1999 and owned by CBS Interactive. It indexed over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 video games. GameRankings was discontinued in December 2019, with its staff bei ...
and Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
. North American reaction to the game was consistent across the board, receiving mixed to generally good reviews. It was praised for its deep gameplay, customizable wanzers, and high production values. On the disapproving side many felt the plot advanced at a sluggish pace, the AI was subpar, and the menu system was cumbersome at times. ''GameSpot'' gave generally positive feedback for ''Front Mission Online
was a massively multiplayer online
A massively multiplayer online game (MMOG or more commonly MMO) is an online video game with a large number of players, often hundreds or thousands, on the same server. MMOs usually feature a huge, persis ...
'', describing how the game was successfully transforming the strategy game series into an action and combat based experience. In RPG Fan's Games of 2006 feature, they enumerated the reasons that '' Front Mission 5: Scars of the War'' was the ''Import RPG of the Year'' make note of the game's improvements and excellent execution in design and functionality. The game was also voted the runner-up ''Strategy RPG of the Year'' by RPG Fan in their "Games of 2006" awards. While the developers acknowledge the good reception of the cinematic focus of the game, they noted that later entries in the series would not necessarily follow the same direction.
Greg Miller of ''IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' scored ''Front Mission Evolved
is a third-person shooter video game developed by Double Helix Games and published by Square Enix. Unlike previous ''Front Mission'' titles which have a tactical role-playing game structure, players engage in combat in real time on 3D maps using ...
'' a 6.0/10, calling it "uninspired" and that it would only appeal to "hardcore mech-heads". He commented that the missions were mainly "frustrating filler", and while the customization of the wanzer was enjoyable, it was often negated by missions "shoehorning you into annoying loadouts". Calling its story "less than stellar", he stated that "it doesn't feel like a full fledged game". ''IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' called '' Left Alive'' a “failure on every level”, with poor controls and game balances issues cited along with technical glitches. ''Destructoid'' praises the game's soundtrack and art direction, but highlighted the low resolution graphical textures that gave the game a “drab” look.[ They also noted “laughable” enemy physics, where killed enemies bodies would jump in the air however they died.] They further describes voice acting as “varied”, from decent, to sounding like the actors “gave up” after one take.[ ''Kotaku'' loved the idea of ]urban warfare
Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and t ...
, including searching for improvised weapons to take on war mechs, but the game's “stiff” and “sluggish” controls made the game impossibly hard to play.
Legacy
Since 1994, the ''Front Mission'' series has spawned numerous products in various media outside of video games. The series has a long-running line of manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
and novels that are expanded universe supplements to the stories of the ''Front Mission'' video games. Likewise, the series has produced two live-action films directed by Yoshihiko Dai and a ten-episode radio drama
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...
directed by Hiroshi Yamaguchi, both of which further expand the ''Front Mission'' universe. Some of the actors and actresses that have been involved in these productions include Banjō Ginga, Hiromi Tsuru, Dax Griffin, Danielle Keaton
Danielle Jasmin Wiener (born July 30, 1986) is an American actress from Los Angeles, California. She is the sister of singer Sabrina Wiener Keaton (who appeared in the 1993 Kidsongs
''Kidsongs'' is an American children's media franchise that ...
, and Tina Coté. Apart from these media, there have been numerous books, toys, and soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
s that have been published under the ''Front Mission'' brand name.
See also
* List of Japanese role-playing game franchises
This is a list of best-selling Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) franchises. For inclusion on the list, a franchise must have sold or shipped at least one million copies. For the purpose of this article, a JRPG is defined as a franchise which: (1 ...
References
See also
* List of Square Enix video game franchises
This is a list of video game franchises by Square Enix, a Japanese video game development and publishing company formed from the merger of Enix and Square on April 1, 2003. Square Enix acquired Taito in September 2005, which continues to publish ...
External links
''Front Mission'' official website
at Square-Enix.com
Ten-Mou / Worldwide Network System
*
{{Square Enix franchises
Square Enix franchises
Video games with isometric graphics
Video game franchises introduced in 1995
category:Tactical role-playing video games by series